Town Loch and Townhill Woods

This is a short (just under 3 miles) circular walk on the northern edge of Dunfermline around Town Loch and Townhill Woods. There is very little ascent involved and the paths are reasonable underfoot unless there has been a lot of rain. A longer version of this walk is available as Townhill Country Park and Woods.

Swans on Town Loch

Dog walking around Townhill

Nordic walking in Townhill Woods

Start the walk from the car park at Town Loch Waterski Centre where there is an excellent cafe. The car park is accessed off Townhill Road, Dunfermline at grid reference NT 100 891 and the postcode for the cafe/waterski centre is KY12 0HT.

From the car park walk round the loch in a clockwise direction. Keep to the lochside and do not follow signs to the left for the bridle path after crossing the footbridge.When you reach the north east corner of the loch, turn left on to a road that leads up past the site of the old power station. The road becomes a track and will join a surfaced cycle track running along the course of an old railway line. Turn left on to this cycle track.

Follow the cycle track, keeping right at its junction with the bridle path and following signs for Townhill Woods. When you reach the main road cross over the road and either follow the woodland track or the surfaced road on the opposite side. Both the track and the road will bring you to the same clearing in the woods.

From this clearing pick up the main path through the woods. Stick with this main path (there are lots of side trails which can also be explored) which is signed up as the Pug Line.

After passing the cleared site of Muircockhall Industrial Estate on your left hand side, keep right following the signpost with the purple core path arrow. Stay on the main path, don’t follow the sign for Wilson Street to your right. At the next signpost turn left for the Forest Place Circular. Then at the following signpost turn right still signed for the Forest Place Circular.

Follow the path through the woods and round the edge until you reach a metal pedestrian gate exiting the woods onto Forest Place. Turn left on to the street.At the bottom of the road turn right on to Muir Road. After almost 200m turn left up a track for another 200m to reach the cycle track/dismantled railway. Turn right on to the cycle track which follows the old railway line. Stay on the cycle track after crossing under the road and you will soon be back at Town Loch. When you reach a sign post turn left for Town Loch and cross the grass to return to the start point.

Share this:

Information provided on this website was correct to the best of the author’s knowledge at the time of publication. When deciding whether or not to walk a route the information provided should only be considered as a guide. You walks the routes at your own risk and should assess current hazards for yourself. Some walks are off path and may require navigation skills and some walks are in remote areas away from civilisation. You should ensure that you are properly equipped for the walk you undertake especially if doing higher level routes. Whilst we do have a right of responsible access in Scotland, in practise access issues can occasionally still be encountered.